Those Left Behind
by Katherine Shepard
Summary: Kaidan Alenko has an old score to settle with ExoGeni and the Thorian. Also features: Shiala, Maelon, Kolyat Krios, Urdnot Darg, Kal'Reegar, Lantar Sidonis, and cameos from ME1 supporting cast
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko signaled to the barkeep for another brandy, nodding his thanks when the glass was slid his way. He stood leaning against the counter in Eternity, Nos Astra's famous bar, on a very rare furlough. Anderson had insisted on it after Horizon and while Kaidan had protested initially, a direct command from the human councilor was not something to be ignored. So with great reluctance, Kaidan booked passage to Illium with the intention of seeing Liara T'soni, his former crewmate and friend. She'd been thrilled to see him, hugging him ernestly and inviting him to do anything he wished, all fees would be handled. Knowing better than to argue with a woman who threatened to flay enemies alive with her mind, Kaidan had accepted her gracious offer and had immediately headed for Eternity. He wasn't a heavy drinker, but the matronly asari bartender kept him well-stocked with the best liqour behind the counter and he wasn't about to refuse the gesture.

Kaidan watched the patrons absently, chuckling when he caught snippets of the bizarre bachelor party a few tables away. He never knew salarians never married. Breeding contracts. Kaidan shook his head sadly. Here he'd grown up believing love was universal. How quickly such romantic ideals were squashed out here in the cold black. Not that he held many ideals anymore; many of them had been destroyed very early in his career as a marine. Two years ago, he'd found another dream to cling to, in the coy, pale face of his commanding officer.

Shepard. Kaidan shook his head again, downed his latest brandy, catching the fresh glass when it was passed to him by the observant barkeep. He didn't like thinking about the past. He'd spent enough time doing that, missing out on opportunities because he'd been too busy mooning for old times. He grimaced, rolling the glass between his palms slowly. The amber liquid sloshed against the sides, creating something for him to gaze into. Her eyes had been a similar shade, darkened whenever she looked at him in ithat/i way. A shiver traveled down his spine, memories of the two hours before Ilos rising to the surface, unbidden. Hard to believe that had been the only time they'd had. Fast forward one month and she was gone. Lost to the unforgiving cold black that had swallowed his dreams years ago.

The asari behind the bar tapped the counter in front of Kaidan's glass, drawing his attention away from the past. He looked at her through bleary eyes. "You look like hell, soldier," she remarked, her voice deeper than he would've expected. "What's on your mind?"

Kaidan straightened a bit and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. "Memories, that's all."

"Past is a bitch, ain't it?" the barkeep replied sagely. She produced a towel and started wiping down the counter. "Anything you feel like sharing?"

"Thank you, but no."

"Probably for the best. Loose lips crash ships and all that," she said briskly, mopping up the spill another patron had stumbled away from. "You look young, for a human, anyway. What's your name, kid?"

"Alenko," Kaidan replied shortly, finishing his drink. She paused in her duties to extend a hand to him.

"Matriarch Aethyta. Pleasure, Alenko."

"Matriarch?" Kaidan echoed, puzzled. Aethyta waved a hand, deflecting the questions she knew were coming. Getting the idea, Kaidan let it drop and leaned against the counter again. He watched Aethyta busy herself behind the bar for a few minutes, his mind wandering. Maybe he'd try to see Liara again, maybe see if she'd be free for dinner later. He needed someone to talk to, someone who would understand. Of course, he wondered briefly whether or not it would be untoward to speak of the woman she'd fallen for as well. Thinking again, he shelved that idea and sighed a bit. Aethyta glanced at him briefly, then turned away to fiddle with some bottles. Facing him again, she plunked a strangely-shaped container in front of him. Kaidan blinked.

"Krogan liqour," Aethyta supplied with some pride. "Dangerous for most humans, but I think you could use it. Care for a taste?"

Kaidan eyed the bottle warily. The liqour in question smelled a bit like ship fuel and appeared thicker than normal alcohol. Still, based on her tone, turning it down would be the height of discourtesy. Bulking up his courage, Kaidan gestured to his empty glass. Aethyta's face split into a wide grin as she pulled a second glass from the shelf and poured them both a helping. Kaidan picked up his glass, regarding the swirling liquid with carefully masked apprehension. Aethyta, on the other hand, had her glass raised in a toast.

"To your health, Alenko," she saluted with a conspiratorial wink, then kicked the liqour back like a champ. Kaidan, feeling it was best to emulate her, did likewise. It burned a path down his throat, hitting his stomach like a fist to the gut. He coughed abruptly, drawing a pitied chuckle from the asari. "You get used to it," she assured him, patting him on the back as he struggled to control the spasm in his chest. Unfortunately, despite her confident tone, Kaidan felt the floor rushing to meet him.

Aethyta leaned over the counter and clicked her tongue. "Some humans just can't hold their krogan liqour..."

*********

Kaidan woke up to the sensation of a cold cloth at his forehead. He groaned, his head pounding worse than when he got his biotic migraines, and curled onto his side. "No more krogan liqour..." he grunted to no one in particular.

"You'll be fine in another hour or so," Liara's voice sounded somewhere above him. "I should've warned you against drinking in Eternity. Aethyta always tries to see who can handle it. I think it's how she entertains herself during slow days."

"I think she needs a new hobby," Kaidan grumbled. Liara laughed musically, then eased him onto his back again. She was a blurry blue shape hovering over him no matter how many times he blinked. Liara seemed to notice this and stroked his forehead gently. He let his eyes drift closed again at her kind touch, body relaxing. He felt her get up from the bed she'd laid him on, her footsteps dying away as she left the room. He lay still for what felt like several minutes when a familiar voice filtered from her office to his ears.

The voice was deep, with an underlying hint of sensuality. Kaidan rolled onto his side, bleary eyes searching for its source. "Shepard...?" he croaked, reaching out with one shaking hand. A figure, still all color and shape, appeared in the doorway. He squinted harder. The face that looked down at him wasn't pale or blue. It was green.

"Commander Alenko!" the figure said in that same voice. "What are you doing here?"

"He's been sampling krogan liqour," Liara's voice replied to the newcomer. They both sounded miles away, as if someone had stoppered his ears with cotton. He saw Liara's face join the green one, felt her fingers gently force one of his eyes open, then released him. "He needs more rest. You're welcome to stay and wait."

"Thank you, Liara. I appreciate that." The green face drew closer to his. Bright green eyes searched his hazy brown ones. For a split second, he felt recognition bubbling to the surface of his foggy mind. She sounded very familiar, but the memory was old, tainted with conflict. Who was this?

Kaidan grunted as a wave of pain thundered through his skull. Sleep. He had to sleep. He closed his eyes again, the sensation of something warm flooding his body easing him into a deep slumber.

**********

Hours later, Kaidan opened his eyes, suddenly quite alert. He sat up quickly, scanning the area with experienced eyes. The room was dark save for a small glowing lamp in the corner, its light a soft blue. The sounds of shuttles and cars zooming outside drifted in from the neighboring room. Oh, right. He was on Illium. He'd been drinking too much; Liara had taken him to her office after he'd passed out. He glanced about again, eyes resting on a half-open door on the opposite side of the room. He could see more light filtering in and suspected Liara was still awake.

Kaidan lifted himself from the bed and padded over to the open door. He was shirtless and his feet were bare, something he was able to disregard in the presence of an old friend. He peered around the doorway. Liara was at her desk, typing away at her console. His steady gaze alerted her to his presence and she raised her head.

"Kaidan!" she breathed, standing and striding over to him immediately. He let her fuss over him, smiling in amusement at her flurried attention. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, thanks," he replied, stilling her fluttering hands in his own. "How long was I out?"

"Five hours, give or take," Liara explained, reclaiming her hands from his and moving back to her desk. She opened a drawer and withdrew a bottle of water, which she offered to him. Kaidan accepted it gratefully and took a long swallow. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before speaking.

"There was someone else here. Another woman?"

Liara's eyes widened as if suffering a realization. "Oh! Yes, she's still here." She pushed a button on her console and spoke into a small speaker: "Nyxeris, please send our guest in."

"Yes, ma'am."

Kaidan kept his gaze on the door, starting visibly when it rotated open and revealed Liara's "guest". "Shiala!"

Shiala, the former disciple of Matriarch Benezia and survivor of the Thorian creature, smiled warmly at him. Her skin was as green as her clones' had been, explaining the strange blur that had been beside Liara's face hours before. "Hello, Commander Alenko," she greeted, inclining her head respectfully. "I am glad to see you are well."

"Yeah, thanks," Kaidan blustered, still very surprised to see her. "What brings you to Illium?"

"Zhu's Hope business," Shiala shrugged. "It's been handled." Something in her voice was avoidant, suggesting any questions about the situation would be dismissed. Kaidan obliged, smiling in return.

"Should I even ask why your skin is green?" he ventured lightly. Shiala offered him a half-smile.

"You can, though I believe you already know the answer."

"The Thorian."

"Yes."

Kaidan scowled. He'd helped destroy the "Old Growth". Foolish for him to believe everything would be solved for the colonists. After-effects were always possible, as he was all too familiar. Still, he sensed there was more to Shiala's condition and decided to ask her about it later. "Are you going to be on Illium for long?" he asked, changing the subject. Shiala's smile became less strained as she nodded.

"I can't stay very long as the colonists need me, but I don't mind a slightly longer visit."

"Are you hungry? We could grab something to eat, maybe?" Kaidan offered, spreading his hands casually. Shiala smiled wider at him.

"I'd like that, Commander. Liara, can you join us?" she turned to her fellow asari, who had been observing the exchange with a cheeky smile. Liara feigned surprise at being included, then shook her head politely.

"I still have a lot of work to do. Perhaps another time."

"I'll bring you something," Kaidan promised. He looked back to Shiala. "Is there a particular place you'd like to go?"

"There's a very nice resturant on the second level that serves multi-species cuisine," Liara supplied, fishing about her desk for a business card. She passed it over to Shiala, who read it aloud.

"The Black Hole?" Shiala's tone was dubious. Liara chuckled.

"It sounds bad, but it's really very classy. I think the name is meant to describe variety of food they serve. You know, black encompasses all colors, black holes...nevermind. It's a nice place."

"I wouldn't doubt her word, Shiala. Liara is the best information broker Nos Astra has," Kaidan complimented, causing his friend to blush girlishly. "I'll make myself more presentable and meet you there."

"I shall do the same," Shiala replied with a nod, smiling as Kaidan disappeared into the adjacent room. She gave Liara a deep bow, then left the office. Liara was beside herself with glee. As much as she loved Shepard herself, she knew Kaidan loved her more and had suffered greatly after her death. She admired his dedication to the commander, but also knew he needed to test the waters again. Perhaps spending time with a charming asari commando (what a combination of words! she thought with an uncertain smile) would help ease him back into living.

Satisfied with the arrangement, Liara slid back into her chair and resumed her own work, smiling pleasantly.

*******

Kaidan met Shiala at the Black Hole an hour later. The asari had changed into something a little more appropiate than her colonist uniform and he'd found his military dress uniform in the back of his shuttle. They strolled into the dimly-lit interior, catching approving glances from passersby as they moved through towards the hostess' podium. A pleasant young asari greeted them, retrieved a pair of menus, and bade them follow her. She took them to a secluded corner of the dining area, assured them their server would be with them shortly and departed for the front again.

Kaidan browsed the wine selection while Shiala perused her menu. "Liara wasn't kidding," he remarked in amazement. "This place really does cater to all known species in the galaxy. I even see some quarian cuisine in here. I didn't even know they ihad/i cuisine."

"Of course they do," Shiala replied. "Do you think they were born in those suits?"

"I don't know. I never got the chance to ask one," Kaidan quipped casually, drawing a pleasant laugh from his asari companion. Their server came by a moment later, took their orders, and disappeared. Kaidan leaned his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his folded hands. "Can you tell me why you were on Illium now?"

Shiala was silent at first, sighed a bit, then spoke. "Zhu's Hope had a medical contract funded by Baria Frontiers. Their medical scans had become costly and rather pointless. The colonists have been suffering for years from the effects of the Thorian's control. Some even displayed thrall qualities even after you and Commander Shepard killed it. I think a few experienced physical changes as well." Her tone was sad as she relived the memory. She passed a hand before her face. "My skin changed a few months after you killed the Thorian. My biotics are very unstable. I have to fight to maintain control."

"I understand how that is," Kaidan said sympathetically. Shiala looked at him quizzically. "I was among the first humans exposed to eezo. Rather, my mother was exposed while she was pregnant with me and I was born with biotic powers. I was shipped off to Jump Zero and endured many rigorous training regimens to control my abilities. Apparently, I'm one of the lucky ones. Most L2 implantees suffer from brain tumors or worse. I just get migraines now and again," he explained.

"You handle your biotics remarkably well. I might've been unconscious during the battle, but I could feel what my clones did," Shiala said. "Both you and Shepard were quite remarkable."

"Shepard was an L3, but yes, she's...an amazing biotic," Kaidan finished the sentence weakly, thankful for the distraction the server returning with their drinks provided. He wasn't about to bring up his feelings on Shepard, even if the topic was somewhat related. Shiala remained politely silent until the server left again.

"I saw her," she said quietly. Kaidan's heart thumped hard in his chest. "She...she was here, not too long ago. She helped me with the contract."

"Shepard...on Illium?" Kaidan repeated slowly. "Is she...?"

"I don't know. Didn't Liara mention this?"

"No. No, she didn't."

Silence fell abruptly. Kaidan fought to control the tumult of emotions coursing through his mind. He could feel his biotics beginning to flash to the surface, responding to his mood change. Shiala observed him carefully, green eyes widening slightly when she spied the telltale arc of blue energy passing between his linked fingers. The memory of the force behind his biotics hit her then and she searched her mind frantically for a different subject.

"ExoGeni took the remains of the Thorian," she announced suddenly. Kaidan was pulled from his thoughts immediately.

"What did you say?" he asked guardedly, narrowing his eyes slightly. Shiala shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"They excavated the Thorian's nest after you left," she told him. "The headquarters were cleaned out as well. We fear what they might do with the remains."

"ExoGeni is still funding colonization missions on uncharted planets," Kaidan said thoughtfully, recalling Alliance intel. "There haven't been any reports about thrall-like behavior, though." He ran a fingertip across his upper lip pensively, eyes distant. Would they even report that? Would the colonists even know what to look for?

"This is troubling," he said finally. Shiala nodded. "I'm on furlough at the moment, which means I can go anywhere I want. Would you mind if I accompanied you back to Feros? I want to check this out myself."

"I'm glad you suggested it; I was going to ask you to come back with me," Shiala replied, relief obvious on her face. "You've faced the Thorian before and its thralls. You know what to look for, as I do. It's difficult to get into the nest now, but I carry a lot of weight with the colonists. I'll get us in there."

"Good. If ExoGeni is possibly functioning elsewhere with the remains, the Alliance needs to know about it. For now, we should take the time to enjoy our dinner. It might be a long time before either of us have this opportunity."

"Agreed." Shiala smiled at him. "Thank you, Commander Alenko. Goddess be praised for my running into you here."

"Kaidan is fine. We're friends, after all." Kaidan returned her smile, albeit a little wearily. They ate in mostly silence, Kaidan's mind racing with the possibilities of another Thorian thrall uprising. Still, it would be better than doing patrols on colonies that hated the Alliance. At least Zhu's Hope respected their involvement.

Encouraged by the opportunity to make another difference in the traverse, Kaidan set himself to enjoy his fine dinner, for yes, it could easily be the last time.

*************


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The small colony had grown in leaps and bounds since Kaidan's last visit. He marveled at the effeciency in which Zhu's Hope was now run. Gone were the days of water shortages and power outages. Now the place ran like a well-oiled machine, ready to turn the ancient ruins of Feros into a genuine place to call home.

Many of the familiar colonists greeted Kaidan warmly, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder or shake his hand. He smiled to see a handful of children playing among the structures, laughing and behaving blissfully normal. If he hadn't witnessed it himself, he would've fooled himself into believing the incident two years ago had never happened.

Shiala led him away to the main living structure, calling out a greeting as they passed through. From one of the side rooms, Juliana Baynham poked out her head, eyes widening at the sight of Kaidan accompanying Shiala. "Lieutenent Alenko!" she cried, coming out of the room and grasping his hands. Kaidan smiled kindly at her.

"It's Commander Alenko now, Juliana," Kaidan corrected her gently, causing the older woman to exclaim in surprise. "How are you and Lizbeth doing?"

"Oh, we're fine, we're fine," Juliana brushed his questions away with a hand. "Leaving ExoGeni was the best thing for us, let me tell you!"

"Yes, I'm sure it was," Kaidan nodded, glancing at Shiala briefly. How much did the other residents of Zhu's Hope know? He didn't want to confess to his reasoning for being on Feros again without knowing how many were aware of the Thorian's remains being taken off-world. Shiala seemed to catch onto this and gave him a slight nod, granting permission to speak freely. Kaidan turned back to Juliana. "Then you know what else ExoGeni took with them?"

At this, Juliana sobered. "Yes, those vile bastards. I can't believe they had the gall to raid the colony for that thing's remains! How could they even think about bringing it back?"

"Is that what you think they're trying to accomplish?"

"Of course it is! Losing the Thorian was the worst thing that could've happened to ExoGeni!" Juliana insisted, her anger at her former employers bursting forth. "God only knows what kind of awful things they've managed to do in these two years."

"If they are trying to revive the Thorian and remake the thralls, something must be done," Kaidan declared grimly, looking to Shiala. "Can you get us down into the nest?"

"Yes," Shiala nodded. She turned to Juliana. "I need you to create a diversion while the commander and I make our way below the freighter."

"I'll tell them there's been an incident in the tunnels again. Rogue varren, another issue with the water mains, something. Give me half an hour before you attempt to go back down. I'll get Lizbeth to help me," Juliana assured the asari. She glanced between them. "What are you hoping to find down there?"

"Evidence. Maybe even something of the Thorian itself. I can't go back to the Citadel with this without proof of their involvement," Kaidan replied.

"As if what happened here wasn't proof enough of ExoGeni's corruption?" Juliana cried, gesturing to encompass the colony with a sweep of her hand. "You have our word and Shiala's word; is that not enough?"

"I'm afraid not. The Council cannot act without solid evidence. They wouldn't even believe us about...certain things," Kaidan finished the sentence carefully. No sense in alarming them further about the on-going threat of the Reapers. Thankfully, Juliana was too absorbed in her own rage to notice his omittance.

"I'll do as you asked," Juliana asserted firmly. "I only hope you can find something to convict them." With that, the older woman hurried passed them and out to the center of the colony. Kaidan could hear her calling to the people, feeding them her lies to give them the chance to search. Deceiving the colonists was unfortunately necessary, especially if it meant other colonies could be saved. It was this mantra Kaidan repeated to himself mentally as he and Shiala rounded the town center, heading for the controls that would reveal the Thorian's nest.

They lingered long enough to be sure the colonists had cleared out, then Shiala triggered the lift. The great partion of the freighter creaked apart, grinding against gears long since rusted from disuse. Kaidan gazed down as the crumbling stairways were revealed, another memory flashing to the surface as the steps were illuminated. These, too, he shoved into the recesses of his mind as he and Shiala began the long descent into the Thorian's lair.

As they moved steathily through the maze of staircases and broken corridors, Kaidan could still make out the bullet scars from their firefight with the creepers. It was eerie, being back here. Not only had the original situation disturbed him, now he felt as though he were chasing ghosts. Aged bloodstains colored the walls with sprays of black, patches of oily green. A darker stain near one of the stairwells -- quarian blood -- made Kaidan wonder briefly how Tali had been faring since Saren's defeat. He'd lost contact with nearly all of the old squad; Liara had been the only one who'd bothered to contact him post-Shepard's resurrection. Still, these were memories he would have to visit another time, another place. Right now, people needed his help. This steeled him to the task at hand, even as the crest of the platform where they'd stood facing the Thorian came into view.

Shiala paused before the rotten remains of her captivity pod. It was wrinkled, like an old prune, and smelled distinctly of stale blood. Hints of green clung to its withered tendrils, a reminder of the prison she'd been forced into for so many months. She pulled her gaze from it forcefully, eyes scanning the perimeter carefully. "There. We might be able to find something in the node rooms," she pointed off to the right. Kaidan followed her gaze, lips thinning into a taut line as he moved towards it. Here, too, lingered the last remnants of the creeper battles. Bullet scars, bloodstains, slick green puddles -- all of it, a testimony to the war that had raged far below the unseeming citizens of Zhu's Hope. Knowing ExoGeni was out there, somewhere, attempting to restore something so horrific pushed Kaidan onward and upward to the other rooms. As they passed through them, it was as though ExoGeni had combed every last inch of the walls and floors of anything resembling the Thorian. Dingy walls gleamed from the aggressive scrubbing of samples, shining a little too brightly in the faint sunlight streaming above them.

"This is...insane," Shiala breathed, taking in the expanse of the circular chamber beyond the room they stood in. "Anyone coming down here now would believe the Thorian had never existed! What madness has driven those scientists to be so thorough?"

"I don't know," Kaidan admitted darkly. "But whatever it is, they can't have cleaned up everything." He moved to the window's ledge and peered down. The bottom of the chamber was impossible to discern. The Thorian had tumbled to its death down there. Perhaps the cavern walls were smeared with the blood from it. He couldn't just give up, not when he felt in his gut something would be there.

"Come on," he tugged at Shiala's elbow gently, turning from the window and starting back down. "Time to do a little excavation of our own."

"Right behind you, Commander," Shiala's voice was hard as she followed him, her eyes lingering on the space where the Thorian had once suspended itself.

The climb to the abyss below would be a steep one. Kaidan surveyed the outcroppings of rock and damaged stonework carefully. Shiala came beside him, her eyes cast downward as well. Perhaps they wouldn't have to climb. He flexed his fists, clenching and unclenching his muscles as though preparing to dive into freezing water. Shiala caught this, a secretive smile curling her lips. Her biotics were unstable, but Kaidan's were sound.

"Get on," Kaidan shifted his pistol to his belt and bent slightly at the knees. Shiala climbed onto his back, arms curling about his neck for purchase. He linked his arms under her legs, securing her tight against him, closed his eyes and let his biotics flare.

Great curving arcs of blue light cascaded from him, coiling around their joined figures. He felt them lift from the ground a few inches before he mentally pushed them down into the canyon. He felt his muscles would tear from the exertion as he carefully navigated his way down, his mind focused entirely on keeping them from plummeting to the ground. It was a harsh demonstration of his biotics, one he never would've imagined using until now. He'd not only be exhausted after this, but also extremely hungry. How he would push that from his mind enough to concentrate on continuing their search, that would be something he'd deal with once he reached it.

"There," Shiala pointed over his shoulder. "I can see the bottom. Carefully, Commander! I will try to slow our descent further." She allowed her unstable biotics to erupt over her skin, buffeting his long enough for them to reach the ground. The second Kaidan's boots touched solid ground, Shiala slipped from his back, kneeling beside him when he collapsed, exhausted. She placed a supportive hand on his back as he got his breathing under control and looked about them.

It was very dark this far down. Even the smallest sound echoed harshly; Kaidan's ragged breathing was like a wind tunnel's roar, causing Shiala to wince from the enormity of the space around them. How deep they'd actually gone was hard to determine. The air was colder this far down, and Shiala shivered. After a few more minutes of inactivity, Kaidan lifted his head.

"Can you see anything?" he asked, his voice still a little breathless. Shiala shook her head. She heard him mutter a curse, then a red light flashed to life at his side. A small cluster of incendiary ammo lay ablaze at his feet, offering both light and warmth. It formed a halo of crimson light around them, further accentuating the vastness that swallowed them. Kaidan struggled to his feet, brushing Shiala's assistance aside absently as he looked around. "Can you create a biotic sphere, Shiala?"

"I can try," Shiala replied, then opened her hand, palm outward. A flicker, a burst of electricity, and her hand became encased in brillant blue light. She suspended it above them as they began to inch forward cautiously, their feet finding purchase on the rocky ground beneath them. "It goes on forever!" Shiala exclaimed, passing her hand left and right to illuminate dark corners and steep drop-offs.

"The Thorian had to have stopped falling somewhere," Kaidan remarked logically. "Can't have fallen forever; I don't see any other holes big enough."

"Could it have...splattered?" Shiala shuddered at the thought of the Thorian erupting in a sticky mass of viridian mess. Kaidan shook his head.

"I think it would've been a lot more disgusting down here if it had. And given the darkness and cold down here, I doubt ExoGeni could afford to be as careful. There'll be something down here; I can feel it."

"I hope you're right," Shiala murmured, her tone somewhat dispirited. As they walked, Shiala continued to sweep her hand across the ground and walls, both searching fervently for clues. "There!" Shiala announced suddenly, clutching Kaidan's arm with her free hand. "I think I see something!"

"Excellent!" Kaidan breathed, darting to where she gestured. He crouched low and scooped something into his hand. Bringing it back to Shiala and her biotic orb, he presented what appeared to be a scrap of green flesh, presumably from the Thorian. Shiala inspected it closely.

"It's such a small portion; no wonder they didn't find it!" She looked up into Kaidan's eyes, concern etched in her expression. "But how will we use this as evidence of what they're doing? It just proves the Thorian existed."

"It's a start, that's enough," Kaidan reminded her, withdrawing a small container from his belt and pressing the sample into it. He replaced it back onto his belt, then returned to the corner. "There might be more..."

"It would just be more samples; hardly worth taking back with us," Shiala insisted, coming up and leaning over his shoulder. Kaidan sighed heavily, then glanced back at her.

"Then what would you suggest?" he asked a little tartly. Shiala seemed to flounder for a response before sighing herself.

"I don't know. Maybe someone dropped an identification chip?"

"Doubtful. They could only afford to be so careless." Kaidan stood, brushed his hands off, then placed them on his hips as he thought. "Would the old headquarters have anything?"

"No, they demolished it when they left. Besides, it was already quite ruined from the geth invasion. And you yourself went through it the first time; did you find anything there?"

"Yes, but the commander and I had already taken care of the rogue facilities on Nodacrux and other planets," Kaidan said. "They'd confessed to creating creepers who were docile, claimed they were going to make workers of them. They said the creepers went insane after the Thorian died. Any that survived were killed by us as well."

"Even if they had lived, I doubt they could be questioned," Shiala pointed out with a small smirk. Kaidan had to agree with that. Thorian creepers didn't do much in the way of talking. "Suppose ExoGeni had other facilities on other planets? Ones you didn't know about?"

"It's possible. Unfortunately, in the wake of the Thorian's discovery by the Council, ExoGeni was thoroughly searched by the Alliance and ordered to cease all research relating to it."

"They can't all have listened! Did the Alliance find Thorian remains on any of these shakedowns?"

Kaidan thought for a moment. "No, I don't think so," he replied grimly. "Wherever they took the remains, it wasn't even listed with the company itself. But you're probably right: they can't all have listened. The remains could very well be somewhere undisclosed. Even with this," he plucked the sample container from his belt again, "there's not enough to convict them of negligence. No, we would have to find our where they're keeping the remains and wipe them out ourselves."

"That would require more political and military backing than either of us have combined," Shiala said, exasperated. "Two people couldn't hope to take on an entire corporation, especially not one that could have advanced creepers on their side!"

"Again, you're right," Kaidan was beginning to see the futility of their current position. Even if they did manage to find something linking ExoGeni to the restoration of the Thorian creature, he was still functioning under Alliance law. If ExoGeni had taken the remains outside of Council and Alliance space...he shook his head quickly. He didn't want to think about that avenue, not just yet. That was a bridge to be crossed when they came to it, if they came to it. His furlough status had allowed him to come this far, but it wouldn't last forever. An off-duty soldier shouldn't even be walking around with the kind of ammo and guns he currently had in his shuttle. Embarking on a solo mission without Alliance say-so was grounds for permanent dismissal from the military, coupled with possible charges of galactic treason and imprisonment. No matter how driven and right he felt in this, Kaidan couldn't go against his personal ethics, not even for this. No, he would need the approval of a higher power, a more respected power.

Shiala started when Kaidan gripped her arm. "Come on. We're going to the Citadel. If nothing else, we can check ExoGeni's records through the Alliance networks. There's no way ExoGeni has managed to escape the law this cleanly."

"With you all the way, Commander," Shiala reaffirmed with a stern nod. Kaidan returned the nod, a determined smile on his features. Shiala looked upwards. "Uhm, how are we getting out of here?" she asked uncertainly. Kaidan followed her gaze.

"Same way we got in," he replied simply. Turning his back to her, he instructed, "Get on."

"Are you sure?" Shiala asked as she mounted his back again. In response, he ignited his biotics, raised his head heavenward, then shot up like a blue flash of lightning, with Shiala clinging to his back for dear life.

*********


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Councilor Anderson eyed the tiny sample container perched on his desk, then glanced up at his former suboordinate skeptically. "I thought you and Shepard defeated this thing?"

"We did, sir," Kaidan replied, holding up a hand to ward off the dubious tone in his friend's voice. "But it appears ExoGeni has been in possession of its remains for years now. Shiala suspects they're attempting to revive it or use it somehow. I agree with her; many of the facilities we'd inspected two years ago were peopled by very unethical scientists. This is exactly something they would do."

"It's not that I don't believe you, Commander," Anderson assured him kindly, "but you know as well as I do this is not proof."

"Yes, sir, but with your permission I would like to review the records the Alliance has on ExoGeni. It's possible they'll have given the project to another group. I implore you, Councilor, as a friend and representive of humanity on the Citadel: permit me to follow through with this and I will bring you back all of the proof you need."

"Kaidan, I am no longer your commanding officer. You would have to speak with the Alliance to gain access to those records. You have clearance, but this is a sensitive issue that must be handled carefully. Accusing an otherwise law-abiding group of illegal experimentation is a powerful thing that could have many reprecussions. None of which you want, I assure you."

"Of course, Councilor," Kaidan relented quietly. "It's difficult sometimes to remember who you are now."

"It's all right," Anderson patted Kaidan's shoulder lightly. "I forget sometimes, myself. Now, go finish out the rest of your furlough. If your suspicions are correct, this might be the last one for a long time."

"Understood, sir," Kaidan smiled. He saluted, mostly out of habit, then departed Anderson's office.

*******

Shiala was waiting for him in his Presidium flat (a perk for being one of the heroes of the Citadel), a computer lit up on a table before her. A quick glance at the contents revealed she'd been searching the extranet for anything that could help them. Kaidan saw news reports, random articles dug up from years past, even a rumor mill network site. She looked up at him expectantly as he passed by her on his way to the kitchen. "Did Councilor Anderson grant you permission?" she asked, voice carrying between the rooms. She could hear Kaidan fussing about in the refridgerator, followed by the clink-clink of ice striking the bottom of a glass. He emerged holding a small glass tumbler in each hand, one of which he passed over to her, then moved to sit across from her.

"He reminded me of his position," Kaidan explained heavily, pausing to take a quick swallow of his brandy. Shiala held her glass in her lap, both hands wrapped around it, but seemed disinterested in imbibing. Instead, she listened to him intently as he continued. "And of mine. I've had clearance for awhile; guess old habits die hard. Even when said habits are two years old." He drowned the last two words in brandy, emptying the glass and putting it down with a small sigh.

"I've been searching for clues myself," Shiala gestured to the open console. Kaidan turned it towards him, eyes scanning the information carefully. "For some reason, there's a lot of talk of Binary Helix whenever I look for articles on ExoGeni. Binary Helix had no presence on Feros; why would they be named?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Kaidan shrugged, spinning the console back towards her and leaning back. "I ran into Binary Helix while on Noveria. They work with genetics, manipulations, modifications, that kind of thing. An asari representative approached Commander Shepard to do some dirty work for their company, but Shepard turned her away."

"What did the asari want?"

"My memory's a bit fuzzy on the details, but she'd claimed Binary Helix had stolen plans for a prototype biotic amp from Thessian manufacturers."

"I wish I could add more to that, but alas, I've been on Feros since you and Shepard released me," Shiala replied helplessly, spreading her hands. "I haven't had much contact with other asari; very little news reaches Feros. Communications can still become convoluted; we mostly pick up random distress signals from neighboring satellites, but nothing relevent. Certainly nothing that would explain Binary Helix's involvement with ExoGeni."

"Still, something tells me it's connected. The creepers were more or less colonists exposed to the Thorian for longer amounts of time, right?" Kaidan ventured.

"To my knowledge, yes."

"Well, in order to create docile creepers, genetics would have to become involved somehow, wouldn't they?"

"I couldn't say. It's possible. Genetic manipulation is a likely connection; certainly Thorian DNA can meld with asari, resulting in fairly whole thralls. The creepers were like...what's the human equivalent? Zombies?" Shiala formed her lips around the new sounds clumsily.

Kaidan chuckled. "One way of putting it," he conceded with a sheepish gesture. "But you're right, they were remarkably like our zombies. At least in appearance. In popular fiction, zombies are created, but then act on their own. The thralls were being controlled by the Thorian. It reminded me a little too much like indoctrination."

"It was certainly similar," Shiala nodded. "Still, does Binary Helix deal in mind-control as well?"

"I doubt it. Hm. The plot thickens," Kaidan murmured thoughtfully, folding his hands before him and resting his chin on them. As Kaidan continued to ponder the connections, Shiala retrieved the control for the vid screen and turned the galactic news on.

Shiala watched the various reports filtering across the screen as Kaidan sat back, deep in thought. The muted voices of the newscasters drifted through his consciousness, unheard among the jigsaw puzzle of disjointed information currently flooding his mind. Binary Helix and ExoGeni. What did they have in common beyond twisted research projects? Binary Helix had been behind the revival of the rachni queen, later released into the galaxy by Shepard herself. All of the remaining rachni had been dealt with once the neutron purge had been initiated as well. So that crossed the possibility of more rachni out. However, it still left the mystery of the Thorian. Kaidan bit his thumbnail absently. Would ExoGeni be foolish enough to operate under the same name or conditions? Or had they established new units that functioned outside of the company's public face?

"Did Juliana or Lizbeth ever mention partner companies to ExoGeni?" Kaidan asked Shiala, pulling the asari's gaze from the screen and back to him. Shiala thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"ExoGeni was the only company endorsing the colony from what I was told. Why? Have you thought of something?"

"I don't know. It feels a little far-fetched right now, but..." he paused, collecting his thoughts. "What if...what if ExoGeni expanded, took over another company, a smaller one? They're such a large industry, surely they've bought up smaller corporations before?"

"Now that you mention it, Juliana did remark once about a fledgling company that specialized in biotics and research that formed only recently. Within the past year, I believe." Shiala screwed up her face in concentration. "Genetix? Hold on, I'll look it up." She pulled the console closer to her. "Here. Genetix." She spun the console around as Kaidan bent forward.

"They're attempting to produce a new biotic amp?" Kaidan muttered, scrolling further down the page. "Only Binary Helix dealt with biotics, didn't they? Why would ExoGeni purchase a company specializing in biotics when they dealt mostly in repurposing and colonization?"

"To borrow your phrase, your guess is a good as mine," Shiala remarked. "Oh, wait. Here." She pointed at another part of the site. "A subsect of the company is pioneering the amps on new colonies. So, in a sense they deal with colonization, like ExoGeni."

"Which colonies? Does it say?"

"Seems to be primarily human colonies in the..." Shiala paused, a look of surprise crossing her features. "The Terminus System! I thought any colonies out there were being attacked by the Collectors?"

"Most were. Horizon was raided not too long ago. Anyone attempting to form colonies on those worlds are outside of Coucil and Alliance space. They're alone out there. Even if ExoGeni were part of this, my influence would only reach so far."

"But if that's true, why were you permitted to travel to Horizon?" Shiala's tone was skeptical. Kaidan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.

"It was a cover-up. We'd received a tip saying the Collectors would attempt a run there. I was sent to the colony with the intention of implementing defense turrets to protect the colonists. I wasn't met with any great enthusiasm, I assure you. There was more to it, but I'm afraid it gets a little classified. You understand," he added with a weak gesture. Shiala drew a deep breath, her intuition clearly disagreeing with his soldier ethics, but said nothing.

"So. In order to investigate Genetix and its colonization efforts, we would have to do it independently?" she said after a moment. Kaidan nodded. "And you won't be able to, will you?"

"No. I return to active duty in a week. That's not enough time to travel from here to the Terminus and do any real research."

"Then find a loophole," Shiala suggested. Kaidan stared at her, uncomprehending.

"The Alliance is very careful about loopholes, Shiala. Especially ever since Cerberus made us look bad and had to be disconnected from the Alliance. It's a dirty secret, you see."

"Does the Alliance keep spies in Cerberus that we could use?"

"That I wouldn't know," Kaidan admitted. "I'm told a lot, but not everything. Besides, this has nothing to do with Cerberus. I'd rather not dirty my hands on them anymore than I already have." Shiala caught the bitterness in his voice and dropped the subject.

"What if we hired someone to check out for us until we can figure something out? I could go with them, report back what I find?"

Kaidan regarded her with some dubiousness. "I'd rather not have that on my record if it's all the same to you, Shiala."

"What about Liara? She's an information broker for a reason and one of the best, you said so yourself," Shiala pointed out quickly. "She could get the information we need on Genetix while we consider a plan of action. If they're doing anything shady, Liara will find out."

Kaidan couldn't argue with that logic. Liara had gone from a curious Prothean scientist to one of the most intimidating information brokers in the galaxy in the short span of two years; the change had been alarming the first time Kaidan had heard of it. Now he began to see the potential benefits in staying on Liara's good side. "I can send her a message through my personal channel. After that, you'll have to maintain the connection, especially if her results don't show up before my furlough is over."

"You'd let me stay here with you?" Shiala was genuinely shocked. Kaidan gave her a lopsided smile.

"I'm never here. I spend most of my time shipside. I'm not fond of the Presidium to be honest." He paused to look out the wide window, the artificial sunlight streaming through in patches. "It's a beautiful place, but...not my style."

"Thank you, Commander. I appreciate the offer," Shiala replied softly. She touched his hand timidly. "You've been very kind to me. If there's anything I can do to repay you, please let me know." She looked up into his eyes, a hint of suggestion in her gaze. Kaidan gently withdrew his hand from beneath hers and folded them again.

"Thank you, but I'm not in the habit of taking favors from friends," he replied as kindly as he could. Shiala lowered her gaze, then averted it. "I'm sorry if I offend you, Shiala. You're a good person and have been through a lot. Your gratitude in words is enough, I promise."

"Of course, Commander," Shiala bowed her head briefly, her voice tight. She rose from the sofa. "I'm afraid I have a headache. If you don't mind, I'd like to lay down now."

"Make yourself at home, Shiala," Kaidan said. "I'll send that message out to Liara tonight. If we're lucky, she'll be able to get back to us with something solid before the week is out."

"Goddess willing," came Shiala's distant reply as she moved towards the bedroom. Kaidan sighed inwardly and shook his head. No stranger to turning pretty women down, are you? he chided himself with a small chuckle. Just as well. Aligned with the wrong people or not, Kaidan already had a beautiful woman to dream about every night, and it would stay that way until everything was finally over.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Liara's intel arrived almost precisely a week latre just as Kaidan was emerging from the shower. Shiala was perched on the edge of the couch, bent forward as she read Liara's message. Kaidan stood behind the sofa toweling his hair briskly. "Did she find anything?" he asked, draping the damp towel about his neck and shoulders. Shiala twisted slightly in her seat, did a not so subtle doubletake at his half-naked form, then found her voice:

"She says Genetix has been to Nos Astra before, looking for tech and the like. She doesn't recall anything unusual about them. Said they were very polite and respectful of Illium-based contracts."

Kaidan grimaced, rounding the sofa to sit beside Shiala. "I guess we can write them off for now and get back to focusing on ExoGeni and Binary Helix. They at least function where we can reach them," he observed quietly. Shiala shook her head suddenly, then positioned the console towards him.

"She didn't say she didn't find anything on them, Commander," she informed him. "Just that they were well-behaved. The tech they were picking up was contraband. Illegal schematics offered at one of the kiosks on the main trading floor. Schematics for mind-control chips."

Kaidan stared at her incredulously. "Why would they want those if not to create something designed for service?"

"That was my thinking," Shiala nodded. "I had her cross-reference them with ExoGeni and Binary Helix. Commander, these implants were headed for a remote colony world on the edge of the Terminus. A human colony." She emphasized "human" carefully. Kaidan's eyes widened even as his thick brows drew down over them.

"This is a fanastic lead, but we're still back at square one. If they're that far out, human colony or not, the Alliance has no influence. Did she offer any advice?"

"Knowing your limits as an Alliance soldier, she agreed with me about sending in a spy to gather information," Shiala replied, pointing at a line in Liara's return message. "She says she can connect us with a very sophisticated operative, right here on the Citadel."

"Who? What's their name?"

"Kolyat Krios. He's down in C-Sec serving community service for a failed assassination," Shiala explained. "Captain Bailey is in charge of his sentence, if you could even call it that. With the Alliance backing you, along with being one of the heroes of the Citadel, you could easily remove him from Bailey's service."

"A failed assassination? How does that make him sophisticated?" Kaidan's tone was dubious. "He sounds a little sloppy if you ask me."

"His father is supposedly one of the most skilled assassins in the galaxy; perhaps Liara believes some of it has rubbed off. At the very least, he could feign ignorance when brought to question by the colonists. We're not asking him to kill anyone, just to retrieve information on Genetix."

"Is he human?"

Here Shiala fidgeted a bit, her expression twisting between wanting to fib and reveal the truth. "He's a...well, he's a drell."

"A _drell_?" Kaidan repeated. Shiala winced from the force he put into the word. "Why would a drell go to a human colony?"

"Drell suffer from a disease, Kepral's Syndrome, that affects their lungs' ability to absorb oxygen. Their homeworld was very dry and arid; it's our good fortune the colony is located on a desert world. The colony in question is called Oasis and has only been around for about three years now. Kolyat could infiltrate the town under the guise he's simply looking for a better place to live."

"Does he even have Kepral's?"

"Liara suggested he didn't, but the colonists don't have to know that, do they?" Shiala's voice was sly. Kaidan chuckled a bit, shaking his head.

"It's worth a shot, I suppose. I'll get dressed and head down to C-Sec this afternoon, see if I can't meet this drell Liara seems to like. If he's interested, I'll get him set up with transportation and a backstory that'll make sense. I'm not denying it's a crazy idea, but I trust Liara's judgement." He considered Shiala for a moment. "How have your biotics been? Still unstable?"

"A bit. It's a little easier here. I'm surprised I was able to do anything on Feros," she admitted with a small shrug. "Normally my biotics flare up in situations like that. I suppose you're part of it."

"Being an unstable biotic is the hardest thing anyone could deal with," Kaidan remarked. "Sometimes witnessing another's strength at control helps." He slipped the towel from his shoulders and started for the bedroom. "You should take this time to look around. Get out for awhile. If Krios agrees to our plan, I'll bring him back here so you can meet him. He should know the people he'll be dealing with."

"That's probably for the best," Shiala demurred. Kaidan glanced back at her from the hallway.

"Cheer up, Shiala. We'll stop ExoGeni from resurrecting the Thorian," he assured her gently. Shiala's shoulders lifted slightly, but she didn't turn around or respond. Taking that as a good sign, Kaidan smiled and disappeared into his room.

*********

Zakera Ward had always struck Kaidan as being overcrowded, especially with all of the strange centerpieces displaying various flora from the council races' homeworlds dominating the majority of the floors. The onlookers were even worse; very few barely made room for anyone passing by, uniformed officers and Alliance military included. Thankfully, Kaidan had developed a very confident stride that instinctively told those in front of him to move and move quickly. He wasn't one for intimidation, but in this case, it worked out quite well to his advantage.

Captain Bailey was behind his desk as usual at the Ward entrance of C-Sec, white-blond head bent and sharp blue eyes busily scanning the latest crime reports. Kaidan cleared his throat politely when Bailey failed to notice his arrival immediately. Bailey reluctanted raised his head, features set in disapproving lines a split-second before they unraveled to reveal a surprised expression. "Commander Alenko!" he exclaimed, standing and saluting automatically. "Terribly sorry, sir, it's been hell down here lately, what with all of the anti-human bull thanks to that bastard Talim. Anyway. What can I do for you, Commander?"

"At ease," Kaidan instructed before answering. Bailey relaxed his posture, but remained standing. "I'm here on Alliance business, Captain. I was wondering if you could introduce me to your latest ward here in C-Sec. The drell, Kolyat Krios."

Bailey's expression exhibited his confusion. "Krios, sir? What do you need him for? He's barely been in my service for a week now."

"I'm afraid that's classified, Captain. Please," Kaidan added politely. "The boy."

"Of course, sir, whatever the Alliance needs," Bailey nodded quickly, then retrieved a passcard from his desk drawer. "He's in holding when off-duty, as per orders from the Executor. This way." He led Kaidan through a locked door, passed a few officers who saluted in turn, and then through another sealed door. Beyond lay a row of cells, shimmering forcefields keeping their solitary occupants held securely within. Bailey stopped before a cell at the far end and slid the keycard through the port beside the control panel.

"You've got a visitor, Kolyat," Bailey informed the shadowed figure in the corner of the cell. "Best behavior, lad. You know the drill." He turned to Kaidan and whispered, "Try not to mention his father, if you can. Lock him up again when you're through. Take the key. I'll be at my desk if you need me." He saluted again and left with Kaidan with the keycard and silent youth.

Kaidan stepped inside the cell and addressed the shadows. "Kolyat? I'm Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko. I'm with the Alliance."

"Why would a human soldier come see me?" Kolyat's gravelly voice issued from the darkness, his voice dripping with suspicion. "What do you really want?"

"I've been informed of your expertise, Kolyat. I need you for a special mission," Kaidan explained. Kolyat didn't respond for a long while; Kaidan suspected he was mulling over the reasoning behind an Alliance soldier seeking him out.

"I'm not the Krios you're looking for," Kolyat said suddenly. There was a note of bitterness in his voice now. "Good luck finding the right one, though. He's with another human now. A female." Kaidan heard him shuffle to the narrow cot along the wal; the creaking metal told him the youth had sat down. "I'm no assassin."

"I'm not looking for an assassin, Kolyat. I'm looking for _you_."

"I have no special talents."

Stubborn. How typical. Kaidan sighed inwardly. Liara's report had failed to mention Kolyat's demeanor. "My associate would beg to differ," he said after a moment. "You don't need to kill anyone. I just need you to go where I cannot."

"Why can't you? I thought the human Alliance was everywhere?" Kolyat pressed.

"The Alliance dominates about as much space as the Citadel. That is, not as much as we'd like," Kaidan said, ending his sentence with a grimace. "This particular location is in the Terminus Systems, a place out of our reach. Out of our influence."

"Alenko, was it? Yeah, I know about you," Kolyat's voice shifted position; Kaidan guessed he'd lain back. "You were that soldier on Horizon, that human colony the Collectors attacked. I thought Horizon was outside of Alliance space?"

Kaidan closed his eyes, struggling to maintain his calm. For the first time in a long time, he was beginning to doubt Liara's intel. Still, he had to admit the drell was well-informed. The Alliance's presence on Horizon had been kept hush-hush until after he'd left. Perhaps there was something to using him after all. "You're right, Horizon was indeed outside of Alliance space. However, we had a very good reason for overstepping our bounds that time. The Collectors threaten all galactic life, not just humans. But that's not what I'm here for."

"Then what _are_ you here for? Tell the truth!" Kolyat's voice hissed out sharply, shifting even as his body did. In an eyeblink, Kaidan was face to face with the drell, his large black eyes staring angrily into Kaidan's brown ones. His face was contorted in a sour expression, prominent chin jutting out defiantly as he gazed hard into Kaidan's eyes. Kaidan took a small step back, not from intimidation but more from alarm at having Kolyat that close that quickly. He was certainly fast!

"There's another threat to galactic peace out there, something that has been threatening everything since Saren and his geth army," Kaidan informed him coldly. "A creature, the Thorian. ExoGeni was in charge of a control group on Feros in the colony, Zhu's Hope. The Thorian's spores enabled it to control their minds, their very bodies. I helped destroy the Thorian two years ago, but I've recently been informed ExoGeni has been keeping the remains hidden somewhere with the intention of bringing it back." He took a large step forward till he was nose to nose with the scowling youth. "So if you don't want to become a mindless slave to a being older than everyone on the Citadel combined, I suggest you sit back down and listen to me."

Kolyat angled his face away from Kaidan's, eyes still regarding him carefully. Then, slowly, he backed away and lowered himself onto the cot in silence. Kaidan took a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing.

"I need you to get to the human colony, Oasis. You're to present yourself as a solitary drell seeking a dry place to live due to your advanced stage of Kepral's Syndrome --"

"I don't have --"

"Due to your advanced stage of Kepral's Syndrome," Kaidan repeated more loudly, speaking over Kolyat's interruption. "Your real purpose is to gather intel on Genetix, the company sponsoring the colony. My sources have informed me that Genetix is attempting to use the colony as an experimental group to test their new control chips. Genetix is an off-shoot company of ExoGeni; your main goal is to seize a chip and send it back here for study. Should you cooperate, you'll be given a false indentity, enough credits to support yourself and any expenses required to gain the information, transport, and personal channels with which to transmit any new findings directly to me. Now," Kaidan folded his arms across his chest, staring sternly down at Kolyat as he spoke, "do you have any questions?"

Kolyat looked at Kaidan for a very long time. Then a whisper of a sly smile curled his lips. "When do I start?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Kolyat took in the expanse of Kaidan's flat after he'd been brought back from C-Sec to the Presidium, dark eyes traveling over the expensive furniture and white walls. Shiala hovered somewhere behind him closer to the door where she'd let him in, cautiously glancing between the drell youth and Kaidan. Upon first meeting, Kolyat had barely paused for a proper introduction, brushing passed the asari as if she hadn't been standing there. Even now, when he spoke he directed his words at Kaidan.

"Now I remember where I really heard your name from," he remarked, pointing in Kaidan's direction. "You were the one who beat Saren two years ago. Fath -- the news talked about you constantly. Kinda got tired of seeing your face on the vids, actually." He smirked in what he must've believed a friendly way and flopped onto the nearest sofa, long, slender legs stretched out before him and arms sprawled across the sofa back. "So. How long before I'm sent to Oasis?"

Kaidan appreciated the boy's enthusiasm, but rewriting a person's identity would take time. "As soon as we find you a new name and history," he assured the other. Kolyat's smirk deepened into a frown. "Unless you want to go out there prematurely and get yourself killed if Genetix discovers who you really are?"

"Good point," Kolyat waved Kaidan's comment away with a careless gesture. "Still, I don't want to be taking too long, you know."

"What, were you enjoying being Bailey's servant?" Shiala chimed in dryly, drawing the youth's attention to her at last. Kolyat flicked his head towards her sharply, then recoiled openly.

"Why are you green?"

"Shiala is one of the Thorian's former victims," Kaidan explained, cutting across the sharp retort he knew rested on Shiala's tongue. "She was actually given to the Thorian by Saren himself. She understands the effects of the creature's control better than anyone on Feros. Many of the other colonists who suffered barely remember what they did while in its thrall, but many have experienced the side-effects. Our goal is to prevent that from happening again, a goal you're going to help us achieve."

Kolyat looked to Shiala again. "How much do you remember?"

"Enough to give me nightmares," Shiala replied tersely. "That's all you need to know. It's better that we leave those out of this. Othewise," she held up a biotics-encased fist to the boy's face a little too closely. Kolyat patiently pushed her glowing fist from him.

"Aggressive bunch you've got here, Alenko," he remarked coolly. "I could work with that."

"It's either us or the C-Sec cell," Shiala withdrew her fist, reining in her unstable biotics. "I'm willing to bet the cell is safer, but we're infinitely more beneficial to your survival."

"Clearly."

"Something occurred to me while I was going down to C-Sec," Kaidan began, hoping to divert them from further disagreement. Both shifted their gazes to him, listening. "I don't know about you, but while I might be able to understand the tech of the chip, anything biological will be beyond my reasoning. I'm willing to hazard a guess neither of you understand genetics, either."

"You would be right about that," Shiala admitted as Kolyat nodded. "What are you suggesting?"

"Once we get hold of one of these chips, we'll need someone to analyze it. Someone we don't have yet."

"What, you mean like a scientist?" Kolyat asked with a questioning shrug.

"Exactly that," Kaidan said.

"I suggest we cross that bridge when we come to it," Shiala offered. "First things first: we have to get Kolyat stationed on Oasis to get a chip and then we'll worry about how to unravel its mysteries."

"Gonna have to go with what she's saying, Alenko," Kolyat added, jerking his thumb at Shiala. "Just get me to the colony and I'll handle the rest. If I come back with anything, then you can get your scientist."

"All right, you both bring up good points," Kaidan acquiesced, spreading his hands. "Kolyat, you can stay here as well. I return to active duty tomorrow morning and will be staying on-board my ship until you bring something solid back. Shiala, you can remain here as well, keep me updated on his progress if I can't reach the channels soon enough."

"Understood, Commander."

"I'll go back down to C-Sec and arrange for Kolyat's new identity with Bailey. He thinks this is an Alliance affair and will do anything I ask. Expect to be on the way to Oasis in two days' time, Kolyat," Kaidan said, nodding at the drell. "In the meantime, eat, rest, anything you need to do while I attend to this. I'll be back soon."

Shiala and Kolyat watched Kaidan leave the flat, then turned cautious eyes to the other. Kolyat shifted on the sofa slightly, rearranging his arms across its back. "Where is this colony, anyway?" he asked, arching a brow ridge.

"It's located within the Enoch cluster of the Rosetta Nebula on a small planet called Laban. Laban typically wouldn't be chosen for a colony, especially not for humanity, but humans tend to go where most wouldn't. They're tenacious, probably why they've come as far as they have," Shiala replied. "Laban is a desert planet, but the colony itself is housed in a massive dome, hence the name Oasis. Much of the flora is scientifically-produced within greenhouses with water being mined for deep within the planet's surface. It's a rough place to eke out a living, but they've been at it for a few years now."

"Is the dome itself arid enough to match Alenko's story?" Kolyat asked next.

"It would have to be. It's a dry, dusty place surrounded by volcanic lakes of iron oxide. Humanity is seeking to properly terraform the planet, even if many of their people consider it a suicidal risk."

"Sounds like fun," Kolyat remarked dryly.

"It's for a very good reason you're being sent out there," Shiala reminded him. "No one should ever experience the horror of being under Thorian control. We must prevent it from happening again."

"Hey, I'm with you guys all the way. Anything is better than what Bailey was making me do," Kolyat said quickly, sitting forward. "Good or bad, you're stuck with me."

"I suppose I couldn't ask for much more than that," Shiala admitted with a grim smile. Kolyat leaned back with a satisfied smirk. The afternoon dragged on, with the two unlikely companions waiting in silence for Kaidan's return.

******

Kaidan presented Kolyat with his new ID tags and shuttle information that evening. His words were brisk as he delivered Kolyat's final instructions. "There's a shuttle leaving for the colony tomorrow morning. I want you down in the docking area early, you understand? Shiala will have to stay up here to avoid suspicion and I'll be too busy to accompany you."

"I don't need a babysitter," Kolyat sneered, taking the tags and datapad with the ship's name and departure time. "I've handled myself perfectly fine before; this isn't any different." He paused to check the tags, then gave a derisive snort. "Kreeos? Not much of a difference, is there?"

"Normally I wouldn't cut corners like this, but we don't have the luxury of time to select an ideal identity. Besides, you shouldn't be out there for longer than a month --"

"A month!?" Kolyat repeated, eyes widening.

"Yes, a month. Any longer and they could become suspicious. After all, how often do humans see drell, let alone know what they are?" Kaidan pointed out. "All you have to do is get a chip and bring it back here. If it starts to take longer than a month, we'll have to abandon the plan and find another way."

"Something tells me my success determines whether or not I get to stay out of a cell," Kolyat observed coldly. Kaidan didn't want to admit it so brusquely, but the youth was correct. Noticing this, Kolyat stepped back, his slender hand coming up between them in a dismissive way. "Figures. Just here to be used, aren't I? By you, my father -- I have half a mind to take this shuttle and stay there. Maybe a new life would be better for me."

"I wouldn't suggest that, Kolyat," Shiala said quietly, moving to stand beside both men. "Commander Alenko knows the truth; he could easily ruin any new life you attempted to make." When Kolyat relented slightly, Shiala softened her tone. "We don't want to send you back to C-Sec any more than you want to go back. Please, help us help the galaxy. It will be difficult work, but very rewarding when we expose ExoGeni's involvement."

"It's just..." Kolyat began, then sighed, shaking his head. "Forget it. I'm...I'm going to walk around. If that's acceptable?" he shot this inquiry at Kaidan. Kaidan shrugged, then gestured towards the door.

"Do whatever you wish, Kolyat. Just be at the docking bay tomorrow morning, that's all I'm asking."

"Oh, I'll be there," Kolyat assured him, taking a step forward and looking the older man hard in the eyes. "I'll be the first one on that shuttle."

"Good," Kaidan replied. He jerked his chin back towards the door. "Go. Enjoy yourself tonight. I'll speak with you after you reach the colony."

Kolyat gave him one last stern glare, then left the flat in silence. Shiala eyed Kaidan carefully as the other lowered himself onto the sofa with a small sigh. "Whatever his father did to him must've been terrible," he murmured as Shiala perched beside him gingerly. "He has more trust issues than I ever did at that age."

"I think you're doing the right thing, giving him this job," Shiala remarked softly. "Wandering souls like Kolyat's need a purpose."

"Yes, they do," Kaidan said in an undertone, his voice and gaze distant. When he said nothing more, Shiala patiently stood and left him to his thoughts.


End file.
